highway

[hahy-wey]

noun

1. a main road, especially one between towns or cities.

   the highway between Los Angeles and Seattle.

   Synonyms: interstate, thruway, freeway, expressway

2. any public road or waterway.

3. any main or ordinary route, track, or course.

highway

/ ˈhaɪˌweɪ /

noun

1. a public road that all may use

2. law a main road, esp one that connects towns or cities

3. a main route for any form of transport

4. a direct path or course

Word History and Origins

Origin of highway¹

before 900; Middle English heyewei, Old English heiweg. See high, way ¹

Example Sentences

Federal officials highlight the safety hazard posed by horses that have wandered onto highways.

From Los Angeles Times

It appeared that the helicopter augered into the dirt embankment on the side of the highway, tearing up weeds with its tail rotor before skidding across five freeway lanes.

From Los Angeles Times

Oftentimes, the bus will be at a Radisson on a day off and there’s a mall across the highway.

From Los Angeles Times

The text was every parent’s worst nightmare: A 17-year-old said he had been abducted, shot and wounded by a group of men on a Florida highway.

From Los Angeles Times

Seventy years ago today, actor James Dean was killed while driving his sports car on a remote highway in Central California.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• artery 
• avenue 
• boulevard 
• freeway 
• interstate 
• parking lot 
• path 
• roadway 
• street 
• superhighway 
• thoroughfare 
• track 
• turnpike